Editorial:Paradise can do a good deed

Last week we did a story on a local man who had old guitars that he placed on the top of his fence posts stolen.

It was a form of yard art that Bernard Glansbeek built up over a short period of time. The musical instruments lined Valley View Drive on top of his fence. It was a nice look – at least that’s what we see from Google’s street view. But it seems someone – or some people – didn’t appreciate the look. So they began taking them – and breaking them.

Glansbeek’s neighbor found a broken guitar neck in his yard. Now, we can understand that one person’s junk is another person’s antique. We fail to grasp the need to steal anything from anyone. But to steal something only to destroy it, just flabbergasts us.

If you value something so little that you’d break it, why take it from someone who values it enough to display it in his yard?

On the day the story hit the street, we got a call from someone who wanted to donate a guitar to the cause.

Turns out the guitar was a vintage one – and not one meant for yard art. But the man’s gesture is one we admire. It’s exactly the kind of thing that probably inspired the late Norton Buffalo to advise his friend

Glansbeek to move here six years ago. And it’s the kind of thing the late Buffalo would extol about Paradise. So here’s our idea. If anyone wants to donate a used guitar to Glansbeek, feel free to drop it by either the Paradise Post or the Chico Enterprise-Record. We will make sure Glansbeek gets it.

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While we were on our way to the sad shooting in Magalia last week, we saw a couple cars try to get across the street or inch up the road a bit more before allowing a Sheriff’s SUV to pass. The deputies told us that it happens all the time. It’s unacceptable.

When a law enforcement vehicle or a fire truck has its lights and sirens going (code 3 they call it), they aren’t rushing to Subway. It’s never something good they are on their way to, and for all you know, it’s a loved one they’re on their way to help.

Pull over sooner, rather than later. The extra few seconds you lose, may be vital ones gained at the scene.